Chapter 66

65 Future or Now?

Buy everything I want to buy…

After pondering the Red-haired Director’s description, Li Ang frowned and asked:

“Does ‘everything’ mean being able to buy things like life, soul, and will—just like that toad—or does it mean…”

“Of course, only within the concept of ordinary money. I already said this anomaly cannot be used in combat.”

“Alright… what about the other two?”

Seeing Li Ang, though not outright refusing, had clearly lost interest, the Red-haired Director shook his head with regret:

“The second concept is transaction. Its effect is somewhat similar to what you want.

This time, the core is the money it spits out. As long as you melt down the toad itself and pour it into those coins, the newly forged money will gain the power of forced transaction—even extending to life and soul… wait, don’t get too excited yet!”

Seeing Li Ang’s eyes gleaming with anticipation, the Red-haired Director waved him off to calm down, then continued:

“This option sounds good, but since it’s built on the foundation of the Golden Wheel, it only works on targets who recognize the value of the Golden Wheel. If your target doesn’t recognize the Golden Wheel’s value, it’s meaningless.

Also, this will be a consumable anomaly. After a single transaction is fully completed, you won’t just lose the money spent—you won’t even get the thing you bought. There’s no possibility of gaining eternal life this way.”

“Why?”

After hearing the Red-haired Director’s words, Li Ang asked, puzzled:

.￠o

“Losing the money I spent makes sense—after all, transactions require payment. But if I pay for something, shouldn’t it belong to me?”

“The thing you bought does belong to you—but there’s a prerequisite: the money you spent must also belong to you.”

“…”

The money I spent doesn’t belong to me? What does that mean?

Seeing Li Ang frown in confusion, clearly not understanding, the Red-haired Director thought for a moment and asked:

“Didn’t the Black Goat tell you that the Sacred Beasts of the Golden Weigh Sect total three?”

“Yeah, he did.”

Recalling the Black Goat’s words, Li Ang said:

“Those three Sacred Beasts seem to be the Wealth-Calling Cat, the Wealth-Devouring Snake, and the Wealth-Spitting Toad.”

Since you know, I can explain more easily.

Satisfied, the Red-haired Director nodded and continued:

“Among the three Sacred Beasts, the Toad’s ability is to spit out money and buy anything. The corresponding Snake’s ability is to swallow money and sell anything.

Their abilities are interconnected: the money the Toad spits out is exactly what the Snake swallowed, and the ‘goods’ the Snake provides are all things the Toad bought elsewhere.”

After hearing the relationship between the two Sacred Beasts, Li Ang frowned with sudden understanding:

“So… because the money actually belongs to the Snake, the things I buy don’t become mine—they go straight into the Snake’s belly, becoming part of its inventory for trading money, and even for recruiting followers?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Li Ang frown again, the Red-haired Director paused, then offered reassurance:

“Don’t worry—about supplying the Golden Weigh Sect, you don’t need to feel guilty. Though not a proper sect, the Golden Weigh Sect is generally honest. Aside from the Toad you killed, which was cruel, the other two Sacred Beasts aren’t truly evil.

If you still can’t reconcile yourself, then when facing enemies, just avoid buying life or soul—buy limbs instead. Many wealthy people who suffer accidental disabilities, unable to accept their condition, learn of the Golden Weigh Sect and join to buy back healthy limbs from the Snake. In a way, supplying them could be seen as saving lives.”

Many wealthy people who become disabled unexpectedly cannot accept it; after learning of the existence of the Scale Gold Cult, they join to buy complete limbs from that serpent—you supplying them with ‘inventory’ barely counts as saving lives.

Hearing the Red-haired Director’s words, Li Ang asked in surprise:

“Does the Clearance Bureau really let the Golden Weigh Sect recruit followers this way?”

“We do, but not strictly.”

The Red-haired Director shook her head:

“Our Bureau has too many enemies, each more troublesome than the last. Compared to those who try to force their physical forms into this world through mass sacrifices, the Golden Weigh Sect is just a minor nuisance. Excluding the Toad handling ‘supply,’ they can even be considered neutral.

For example, those who trade money for health—though they must join the Golden Weigh Sect and pay hefty annual dues—they do so willingly. Can we really ignore the demonic gods looming nearby and go around cutting off people’s limbs?

Also, during shortages of healing anomalies, some branch agents have occasionally traded with the Golden Weigh Sect after being injured. So as long as they don’t cross the line, most branches are too busy to bother with them.”

Also, when healing anomalies are scarce, some branch personnel occasionally trade with the Scale Gold Cult after getting injured; so as long as they keep their activities within bounds, most branches are simply too busy to bother with the Scale Gold Cult during peak times.

With a clearer understanding of the Clearance Bureau’s boundaries and methods, Li Ang considered his own needs, then shook his head and asked:

After gaining a clearer understanding of the Cleanup Bureau’s boundaries and modus operandi, Li Ang pondered his own needs, then shook his head and asked further:

So… you’re not interested in this one either?

Seeing Li Ang’s interest fade once more, the Red-haired Director shook her head:

“The third concept doesn’t involve the authority of ‘money’ or ‘transaction.’ It’s the most basic concept born when it became a Sacred Beast.

In our view, the Toad is evil and insane. But to the Golden Weigh Sect’s followers, it’s a sacred and glorious symbol—because belief itself is power, and the core of a ‘Sacred Beast’ is precisely this ‘belief.’

An anomaly forged from the concept of ‘Sacred Beast’ will greatly strengthen your mental power, reaching the point where it can influence objective reality—moving or reinforcing objects with mental force. When you grow strong enough, you can even launch mental shocks to shatter an enemy’s will.

Oh, and since the Toad’s followers firmly believe their Sacred Beast is pure and holy, your mental shock will carry an extra effect—especially potent against demons like that Goat.”

So… telekinesis, object reinforcement, mental shock, holy bonus damage?

After hearing the final option, Li Ang was overjoyed—this ability’s practicality and applicability were perfect, better than even his best expectations!

After hearing the final option, Li Ang was overjoyed—this ability, with its unparalleled practicality and applicability, surpassed even his best expectations!

Seeing Li Ang’s eyes gleaming, clearly drawn to these powers, the Red-haired Director sighed inwardly and urged:

“Li Ang, I know you’re desperate for power, but I still hope you’ll reconsider.

This option gives the biggest short-term boost, but it’s truly wasteful. Plus, your affinity with demons is extremely high—you’re likely incompatible with a Sacred Beast concept anomaly. So the third choice isn’t as good as it sounds.

The first two options, though one lacks direct combat power and the other has many restrictions and is consumed after use, both touch upon fundamental rules. They’re powerful anomalies most people could never hope to obtain.”

Fearing Li Ang would waste this priceless opportunity, the Red-haired Director blinked her fox-like eyes and pushed hard:

“Especially the first option—it may seem insignificant now, but once you’re powerful enough, you could trade it for prehistoric mechanical relics, hire an entire full-strength Moonfolk legion, or even buy a nation outright!

The second option is weaker, but with the Toad’s supreme rank, every human enemy below god-tier who recognizes the Golden Wheel’s value will have no resistance against you—just spend money and solve it easily!”

After detailing the bright prospects of the other two options, the Red-haired Director licked her dry lips and continued earnestly:

“Li Ang, believe me—the third option, though appealing, has no ceiling compared to the first. Its power doesn’t even reach the tail end of the second.

There are at least dozens of anomalies like the third type in the Clearance Bureau. If you give up the first two and choose it, you’ll be making a truly, truly regrettable mistake. Do you understand?”

There are at least dozens of anomalies like the third type in the Cleanup Bureau; if you give up the first two and choose it, you’d be making a truly, truly regrettable mistake—do you understand?

After listening carefully to the Red-haired Director’s earnest advice, Li Ang nodded at her with gratitude, then apologized:

“But I still want to choose the third.”

"But I still want to choose the third."